Digital Success in the Travel & Tourism Industry ✈️🏝️

When it comes to travel and tourism, digital advertising isn’t just helpful, it’s the engine driving bookings, overnight stays, and visitor spending. Travel and tourism continues to be one of the strongest industries we run campaigns for, and the results speak for themselves.

Why Digital Matters for Travel & Tourism

Travel decisions are emotional and often sparked by a perfectly timed ad or social post. The data proves it:

• 69% of U.S. travelers said advertising motivated them to book a vacation or overnight stay.

• 53% said they were influenced specifically by digital ads.

• On social media, 92% of Millennials and 83% of Gen X and Boomers have taken action on travel content they saw in their feeds.
  

That means your next visitor is already scrolling, streaming, or searching, waiting for the right inspiration.

Where Travelers See (and Act on) Ads

Travel planning isn’t just happening on desktop anymore. Here’s how different platforms are shaping the journey:

• Mobile apps: 45% of travel planners said they were influenced by an ad on their phone.

• OTT streaming (Pluto TV, Tubi, etc.): 42% said these ads made an impact.

• Social media: 40% booked after seeing an ad while scrolling.
  

That’s a big deal, because it means your audience isn’t just planning; they’re booking right from the platforms they use every day.

Campaign Success Story: National Park Parking Pass Awareness

We’ve seen time and again how the right digital strategy can transform outcomes for tourism clients: from driving ticket sales for attractions and festivals to increasing overnight stays and boosting local economic impact. These campaigns prove that digital ads don’t just create awareness, they drive measurable action.

A National Park that welcomes more visitors each year than Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon combined needed help spreading the word about a new policy: all vehicles parked longer than 15 minutes now require a parking pass.

The Strategy

To reach both frequent visitors and new tourists, we launched a full-scale branding and awareness campaign across multiple platforms:

• Ad Types: Display ads, video pre-roll, Facebook and Instagram carousel ads, and OTT streaming TV.

• Targeting Tactics: Keywords, Artificial Intelligence, and Behavioral targeting.

• Audience Focus:

  • Outdoor Enthusiasts: mountain and road bikers, hikers, fitness and exercise fans.

  • Tourists & Travelers: families planning vacations, travel seekers, and tourist attraction explorers.

• Sample Keywords: “state parks,” “hiking outdoors,” “hiking areas near me,” and “walking.”
  

The Results

Over just four months, the campaign delivered impressive performance:

• 8.2x Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

• 0.38% Click-Through Rate — more than 5x the national average
  

The results proved the campaign did more than just drive clicks, it informed park visitors, guided them through the parking pass process, and inspired strong participation to support the park’s growth and sustainability.

The Takeaway

Travelers are inspired by what they see online, and they’re quick to act. From mobile ads to streaming TV to social media, the path to booking runs straight through digital. If your travel and tourism business isn’t investing in these platforms, you’re leaving bookings (and revenue) on the table.

At Wheeler Digital, we’re here to make sure you don’t.

Sources: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1319338/traveler-advertising-effectiveness-us; https://www.cntraveler.com/story/rise-of-tiktok-travel; AdMall Audience Scan “Travel Planning Clients”